Remote Release Seat Cushion Lock With One Hand Operation

ABSTRACT

A seat assembly supports an occupant in a passenger compartment of a vehicle. The seat assembly includes a seat cushion pivotally coupled to the vehicle for movement about a first pivot axis between a generally horizontal seating position and a generally upright stowed position. The first pivot axis being fixed with respect to the vehicle. The seat assembly also includes a seat back pivotally coupled to seat cushion for pivotal movement relative to the seat cushion about a second pivot axis, such that the seat back is displaced rearwardly as the seat cushion is moved toward the stowed position.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority to U.S. provisional patent applicationNo. 60/771,127, which was filed Feb. 7, 2006 and is incorporated hereinby reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates to seat assemblies for use in automotive vehicles.More particularly, the invention relates to a seat assembly having afolding cushion and remote lock release configured for one handedoperation.

2. Description of the Related Art

Automotive vehicles includes seat assemblies for supporting occupantswithin an interior passenger compartment. It is known to provide seatswith folding seat backs to increase the cargo carrying capacity of thevehicle. Yet, it remains desirable to provide improved seat designs thatenhance the cargo capacity of the vehicle and are easily actuatedbetween stowed and seating positions.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to one aspect of the invention, a seat assembly is providedfor supporting an occupant in a passenger compartment of a vehicle. Theseat assembly includes a seat cushion pivotally coupled to the vehiclefor movement about a first pivot axis between a generally horizontalseating position and a generally upright stowed position. The firstpivot axis being fixed with respect to the vehicle. The seat assemblyalso includes a seat back pivotally coupled to seat cushion for pivotalmovement relative to the seat cushion about a second pivot axis, suchthat the seat back is displaced rearwardly as the seat cushion is movedtoward the stowed position.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Advantages of the present invention will be readily appreciated as thesame becomes better understood by reference to the following detaileddescription when considered in connection with the accompanying drawing,wherein:

FIG. 1A is a side elevational view of a seat assembly according to theinvention, shown with the seat cushion in the seat position;

FIG. 1B is an enlarged side view of the seat back frame when the seatcushion (not shown) is in the seating position;

FIG. 2A is an enlarged side view of the seat assembly with the seatcushion in the stowed position;

FIG. 2B is an enlarged side view of the seat back frame when the seatcushion (not shown) is in the stowed position

FIG. 3 is an enlarged perspective view of the frame of the seat assemblywith the seat cushion in the seating position;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged perspective view of the seat back frame when theseat cushion (not shown) is in the seating position;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a release lever for releasing the seatcushion from the seating position; and

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the release lever in an actuatedposition.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to the figures, a seat assembly for use in an automotivevehicle is generally indicated at 10. The seat assembly 10 includes aseat back 12 and a seat cushion 14. The seat cushion 14 is fixedlysecured to a pivot bracket 20. The pivot bracket 20 is pivotally coupledto a floor bracket or riser 30 for pivotal movement of the seat cushion14 about a first pivot axis 16. The seat cushion 14 is selectivelymovable between a generally horizontal seating position, shown in FIG.1, and an upright stowed position, shown in FIG. 2.

A bottom end of the seat back 12 is pivotally coupled to the pivotbracket 20 defining a second pivot axis 18. The second pivot axis 18 isgenerally parallel to and spaced apart from the first pivot axis 16. Theseat back 12 is movably coupled to a back wall 28 of the vehiclepassenger compartment to accommodate pivotal and vertical displacementof the seat back 12 during articulation of the seat cushion 14 betweenthe stowed and seating positions. More specifically, a hook 50 extendsfrom a back surface 22 of the seat back 12. The hook 50 has asubstantially vertically oriented slot 52 slidably engaged with astriker 54 extending outwardly from the back wall 28. By thisarrangement, the seat back 12 may be displaced upwardly and thendownwardly in response to pivotal movement of the seat cushion 14between the seating and stowed positions. The upward and downwarddisplacement of the seat back 12 as the seat cushion 14 is moved betweenseating and stowed positions is caused by the pivotal movement of thesecond pivot axis 18 about the first pivot axis 16 between oppositesides of a top dead center position.

The seat back 12 also pivots about the striker 54 as the seat cushion 14moves between the seating and stowed positions. As the seat cushion 14is moved to the stowed position, the bottom end of the seat back 12pivots about the striker 54. This pivotal movement of the seat back 12about the striker 54 allows the seat back 12 to be in a substantiallyvertical position aligned with the seat cushion 14 in the stowedposition.

A locking mechanism 60 selectively locks the seat cushion 14 in theseating and stowed position. The locking mechanism 60 is internallybiased toward the locked state. Actuation of a bowden cable 62 unlocksthe locking mechanism 60. The cable 62 is actuated by a lever assembly70, as shown in FIG. 1A. The lever assembly 70 includes a bezel 72 and ahandle 74. The handle 74 is pivotally coupled to the bezel 72. The cable62 is coupled to the handle 74 so that pivotal movement of the handle 74relative to the bezel 72 actuates the cable 62, thereby unlocking thelocking mechanism 60.

The lever assembly 70 is located along a front corner of the seatcushion 14 and spaced apart from the first pivot axis 16 to providemechanical advantage to the user while moving the seat cushion betweenthe seating position and the stowed position. Additionally, the handle74 pivots upwardly relative to the bezel 72 when actuated to facilitatelifting the seat cushion 14 from the seating position toward the stowedposition and one-handed operation of the seat cushion 14 by a userstanding outside of the vehicle.

The invention has been described in an illustrative manner. It is,therefore, to be understood that the terminology used is intended to bein the nature of words of description rather than of limitation. Manymodifications and variations of the invention are possible in light ofthe above teachings. Thus, within the scope of the appended claims, theinvention may be practiced other than as specifically described.

1. A seat assembly for supporting an occupant in a passenger compartmentof a vehicle, said seat assembly comprising: a seat cushion pivotallycoupled to the vehicle for movement about a first pivot axis between agenerally horizontal seating position and a generally upright stowedposition, the first pivot axis being fixed with respect to the vehicle;and a seat back pivotally coupled to seat cushion for pivotal movementrelative to the seat cushion about a second pivot axis, such that theseat back is displaced rearwardly as the seat cushion is moved towardthe stowed position.
 2. A seat assembly as set forth in claim 1, whereinan upper end of the seat back is slidably coupled to the vehicle toallow generally vertical displacement of the seat back during actuationof the seat cushion between the seating position and the stowedposition.
 3. A seat assembly as set forth in claim 2 including a hookextending from a back surface of the seat back, the hook having asubstantially vertical slot slidably engaged with an outwardly extendingstriker from the vehicle allowing generally vertical movement of theseat back during actuation of the seat cushion between the seatingposition and the stowed position.
 4. A seat assembly as set forth inclaim 3, wherein the seat back slides generally vertically and pivotsabout the striker to accommodate the pivotal movement of the seatcushion about the first pivot axis between the seating position and thestowed position.
 5. A seat assembly as set forth in claim 1 including alocking mechanism for releasably locking the seat cushion in the seatingand stowed position.
 6. A seat assembly as set forth in claim 5, whereinthe locking mechanism is actuated by a lever located along a sidesurface of the seat cushion adjacent a front edge of the seat cushion.7. A seat assembly as set forth in claim 6, wherein the lever pivotsupwardly when actuated to facilitate lifting of the seat cushion fromthe seating position toward the stowed position.
 8. A seat assembly asset forth in claim 1 including a riser fixedly secured to both the floorand a back wall of the vehicle.
 9. A seat assembly as set forth in claim8 including a pivot bracket pivotally coupled to the riser for pivotalmovement about the first pivot axis.
 10. A seat assembly as set forth inclaim 9, wherein the seat cushion is fixedly secured to the pivotbracket for pivotal movement about the first pivot axis between theseating position and the stowed position.
 11. A seat assembly as setforth in claim 9, wherein the seat back is pivotally coupled to thepivot bracket for pivotal movement about the second pivot axis.